Homers are killing Padres

Los Angeles Dodgers' Hanley Ramirez watches his home run to right field against the San Diego Padres in the ninth inning of a baseball game won 3-1 by the Dodgers after they hit back-to-back home runs in San Diego, Sunday, June 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
— AP

Los Angeles Dodgers' Hanley Ramirez watches his home run to right field against the San Diego Padres in the ninth inning of a baseball game won 3-1 by the Dodgers after they hit back-to-back home runs in San Diego, Sunday, June 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
/ AP

BOSTON  For explanations, good and bad, you go to Darren Balsley. Not only does the Padres’ longtime pitching coach have the analytics formed by both his eyes and statistics, but he also has the willingness and ability to share them with clarity.

And he’s perplexed.

“The thing about pitches getting hit, I can explain,” said Balsley. “The home runs, I can’t explain.”

For a while now, Padres’ opponents have gotten homer-happy, especially when they’ve gotten into a San Diego bullpen that’s already lost 18 games. That’s three fewer than Padres relievers lost all last season, which overall was not a great year, and second only to the Chicago .

Four of the six walk-offs against them this season have been home runs. Twice in four games on this trip, playing in ballparks 1,256 miles apart, the Padres have been beaten by last-swing homers.

The one over the weekend was sheer overkill. Really needing only a sacrifice fly or even a ground-out to win it, Miami catcher Jeff Mathis improved his .115 average with a ball struck off reliever Tyson Ross that dropped over the left-field wall at Marlins Park.

Clearly looking to end matters quickly Wednesday night, Boston Red Sox pinch hitter Jonny Gomes flailed at two Luke Gregerson sliders, then cranked the next strike over the Green Monster to open the bottom of the ninth inning of a 1-1 pitching duel.

““There’ve been too many counts where our guys have been ahead and gotten balls up, giving up home runs,” said Balsley. “The first two swing-and-misses Luke threw to Gomes were perfect sliders, away and down, as good as you can throw ‘em.

“Actually, the last pitch wasn’t a bad slider. It had good rotation, good spin; it just didn’t back up, just stayed a little bit up. It might’ve been a good strike one pitch, but not with two strikes. You don’t expect to get a home run every time a pitch is up in the zone.”

Before Thursday, Padres closer Huston Street hadn’t pitched since June 26, primarily because the Padres haven't been in save situations much and Street's been particularly vulnerable without a save on the line. Yet he was still tied for the lead of all major league relievers with 10 (in only 27 1/3 innings). The only other season in which Street had allowed that many, it was 2011 and those 10 came when he was closing for the Colorado Rockies.

Dale Thayer and Tim Stauffer also are high on the dubious list with five and four homers surrendered, respectively. Among the starting pitchers most frequently touched for homers is Jason Marquis with 16.

“It’s puzzling to watch batting practice to see balls up in the zone and not see too many of them hit for homers,” said Balsley. “So it’s strange when all of a sudden you’re in a game and your hanging slider goes out of the park.

“No excuses, but at times, you can get away with singles or even outs. It’s a strange phenomena going on right now. I can say this. It cannot continue.”

Notes

• Will Venable returned to the starting lineup Thursday after sitting out a few games with a mild hamstring strain, going 2-for-4 with a double, walk and run scored. Kyle Blanks, meanwhile, was given a start off due to a sore heel.

• Second baseman Jedd Gyorko continued to take part in pre-game drills, hitting and fielding and running. Padres manager Bud Black said he’s optimistically thinking Gyorko, DL’d with a groin strain that recurred during his first rehab start last week, might be ready to play inside of a week.

• The Padres likely will send down a pitcher when shortstop Everth Cabrera is activated Friday in Washington D.C.